Valve construction



Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,214,045 VALVE CONSTRUCTION lBurns Dicko Ferguson, and James A. Beard, Jr., Pine Lawn, Mo., assignors to` Wagner Electric Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporationoi' Delaware Applicatipnnpru 22, 1939, serial No. 269.520

2 claims. (c1. 277-45) Our invention relates to valves and more particularly to an outlet valve for the compressor or master cylinder of a hydraulic actuating system suchr as that employed in actuating vehicle brakes.

One of the objects of our invention is to pyroduce an improved valve mechanism of the kind disclosed in the patent vto Bowen No. 1,841,354, issued January 19, 1982, which controls the flow of fluid from and to the master cylinder as the piston thereof is actuated.

A more specic object of our invention is to produce a valve mechanism of the kind referred to which has its sealing parts so constructed that l5 they will perform their sealing functions in an efficient manner, notwithstanding there may be some imperfections during manufacture or slight damage by handling. I

, Other objects of our invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a. master cylinder showing my improved valve mechanism associated therewith; Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the improved valve mechanism assaciated withthe end wall of the cylinder; and Figure 3 is an end view of the valve mechanism. Referring to the drawing and particularly to ,30 Figure 1., there is disclosed a portion of a.' wellknown master cylinder construction comprising a cylinder I within which is reciprocable a piston 2 having associated with its head a packing cup 3. The piston is adapted to be reciprocated by apiston rod 4 and returned to its normally inoperative position by a spring 5.' When the piston is in the retracted positionas shown, the` packing cup 3 is positionedjus't rearwardy of a compensating porthole 6 for placing the cylinder ahead of the piston in communication with the reservoir 1. 'Ihe head of the piston is pro- 'vided with passages 8 which permit fluid at the `rear of the head of the piston tov flow past the lip of the cup during the retractile stroke of the piston in the event a subatmospheric pressure should develop in the cylinder ahead of the piston. I

The forward wall 9 of the cylinder is provided with an outlet port I0 which is connected to a conduit III for carrying uidunder pressure to suitable actuating motor for operating any desired device, as for example, the brakes of a motor vehicle. Associated with the outlet port Il of the cylinder is my improved double acting valve mechanism I2 for controlling the flow of fluid from and to the cylinderas the piston is reclprocated. The valve mechanism is so constructcdas to permit the fluid to flow freely from the cylinder to the conduit vbut to prevent fluid oo from flowing from the conduit to the cylinder unless the fluid in the conduit is above a predetermined value. The valve mechanism is assoc iated with the end of the retractile spring 5 of the piston and the force with which this spring exerts pressure on the valve mechanism deter- 5 mines the minimum pressure Vof the fluid in theV conduit suflicient to permit iiuidto return to' the cylinder. l

Referring particularly to Figures 2 and 3, the improved valve mechanism comprises a resilient 10 valve member I3 made of rubber, rubber com. pound, synthetic rubber or some other like material. This resilient valve member is annular in form, being provided with an axial opening I4. In order that the valve member may have the 15 proper rigidity, it has imbedded therein a metal disc I5 provided with lateral extending and circumferentially spaced turned over lugs I6 whereby the valve member may cooperate with the end of the retractile spring 5 of the piston in the 20 master cylinder. The reenforcingA disc also is provided with lugs I6' which project radially in wardly into the opening Il in the valve member in order to form a guide for a valve stem I'I.

The forward surface of the resilient valve 25 member is formed with an annular rib I8 which surrounds the opening I4. This rib is of triangular cross section with'its apex projecting outwardly. 'I'he circular ridge of the rib is Yslightly curved in order to form a good surface 30 upon which the flat surface can seat. The

lridge, however, is thin enough that the outer portion thereof is suiciently soft and resilient to readily conform itself to either a slight indentation orprotuberances on -a surface when 35 this surface is pressed down on a ridge by a light pressure. The valve stem I1 winch is guided by the lugs I6 is provide at its forward end with an annular flange or c I9 forming a. movable valve element forcooperation with the rib I8 4o whereby, when the rib and ange are in engagement, fluid will be prevented from flowing through the opening I4 in the, valvefmember I3 Vand in a direction from conduit II toward the cylinder. The rear end of the valve member 45 carries a lshoulder 20 and interposed between this shoulder and the valve member I3 is' a light spring 2| for biasing the ange I9 against rib- I8. Also formed on the valve member I3' is a. second annular rib 22 concentric with and surrounding 50 the rib I8 and being.generally rectangular in cross section and provided with a forward con- Vex-like surface 23. This. surface of the rib is adapted to engage the flat end wall surface 2| of the cylinder adjacent the outlet III and be 55 pressed thereagainst by the retracting spring 5l of the piston. When the curved surface initialiy engages the fiatsurface of wall v24, the rib'22 willrtheoretically have a line contact with the surface and then as the pressure of the spring is n lshe'd if not entirely eliminated and insuring that the uid in conduit I I and associated system will be maintained under a pressure which will be determined by the strength of the spring 5.

Fromy the above description of my improved valve mechanism, it is apparent that when the master cylinder piston 2 is moved' forwardly, the

valve disc I9 will be moved off rib I8 and permit uid under pressure to pass to conduit II. When piston 2 is permitted to return to its retracted position under the action of spring 5, the fluid under pressure in conduit Il and associated system will press the valve disc I9 down onto the ridge of rib I8, thus efficiently sealing these parts together and preventingany ,leakage therebetween. The valve member I3, however, will be moved rearwardly by the fluid under pressure in conduit II and the surface 23 of rib 22 disengaged from the wall surface 24. Fluid will now be permitted to ow into the cylinder until the pressure in the conduit and the associated system becomes such a minimum value that it can no longer hold the valve member I3 in the position where the surfaces 23 and 24 are out of uid from passing into the cylinder.

engagement.' The surfaces 23 and 24 will now be engaged with each other to prevent additional Since the construction of surface 23 is such that when it isvforced into engagement with the flat surface 24, no lm will be left between the surfaces', there will result a seal which will prevent any leakage,

thereby maintaining the fluid in the conduit and associated system under a predetermirfed pressure.

By having the rib I8 on the valve member I3 and providing the valve disc with a smooth surface, a highly'superior sealing action is obtained which cannot be done by the prior constructions wherein the valve member I3 is provided with a flat surface and the valve disc with an annular rib. '-I'he rib I8 is so constructed that its ridge will be relatively soft and resilient, thus permitting the edge to conform by light pressure to any imperfections inthe at surface of ,the disc I9 which may be caused during manufacture or by subsequent handling. Also by having the rib I8 ori the valve member I3, it is unnecessary to have the guide for the stem I1 accurately constructed as the same portion of the valve disc I9 need not engage the ridge of the rib.

The particular curved construction ofthe surface of. the outer rib 22 insures that it 'will always make a good sealing engagement with the at surface of the end wall. In prior constructions the surface of this rib was flat and a lm was trapped between this surface and the end wall surface when the two `surfaces were forced toward each other, thus preventing a good sealing action. The curved surface construction of the rib 22 in applicants valve mechanism results in the lm being fprced'away from the sealing surl,faces 'as the vspring pressure is applied to the valve member, thus obtaining a. good seal between the surfaces.

Being awareof the possibility of modifications in the particular structure herein described without departing from the fundamental principles of our invention, we do not intend that its scope be limited except as set forth by the appended claims.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In valve mechanism of the class described for cooperation with the flat surface of a wall of a cylinder having an outlet and with a. piston retracting spring, a valve member having a central opening, said member being provided with an annular rib of resilient material in surrounding relation to the opening and being generally triangular in cross section with its apex positioned outwardly, a second valve member comprising a stem extending through the opening of the first valve member and an annular ange provided with a fiat surface for cooperation with the ridge portion of the rib, a spring cooperating with the stem and the rst valve member for biasing the ange against the rib, and means forming a second annular rib of resilient materialV on the first named valve member concentric with and insurrounding relation to the rst named rib, said last named rib having a convexlike surface adapted to cooperate with the flat surface of the end wall of the cylinder adjacent the outlet when the valve mechanism is interposed between the end of th piston retractile spring and the end cf the cylinder, the surface of said rib when initially engaging the cylinder wall having line contact therewith and then an increasing area of contact when the rib is deformed as a result of the action of the spring.

2. In unitary valve mechanism of the class described for interposition between the at end wall surface surrounding the outlet of the cylinder of a master cylinder device and the piston retracting spring to thereby control the ow of uid through the outlet, a valve member having a central opening and adapted to be engaged by the end of the spring, said valve member being provided on its surface which is adjacent the outlet with an annular rib 'of resilient material in surroundingrelation to the opening and of generally triangular cross section with the apex positioned outwardly, a second valve member comprising a stem extending through the opening of the first valve member and having an annular ange of non-yieldable material provided '.with a fiat surface for engaging and compressing the ridge portion of the rib to thereby positively seal the opening notwithstanding slight lateral shifting of the stem, a spring cooperating with the stem and the first valve member and lbiasing the flat surface of the ang-e against the rib, an'd means forming a second annular rib of resilient material on the rst named valve member and concentric with and in surrounding relation to the first' named rib, said last named rib cooperating with the flat end wall surface of the cylinder and being biased into engagement with said surface by the action of the piston retracting spring on the first named valve member.

BURNS DICK.

JAMES A. BEARD, JR. 

